It is now the way of the world to blame Covid for everything that you are experiencing. My son had an extremely high temperature and generally I wouldn't book an appointment, however due to the notices from school around scarlet fever cases, I decided to ring. This was at 8.05am and I was 33 in the queue which then took an hour to get through to someone only to be told there are no appointments left for the day and call 111 if I need help. Is this what the NHS funds this practice? To tell patients call 111? Upon further insistence, was then told a triage nurse would call- again you are never told what time. So, you just have to sit and wait without being able to do anything else. God forbid if you miss the call, you can never get an appointment. Another pre-arranged call with a doctor was meant to be early Wednesday afternoon but could they stick to the timings, no? I then received a call back in the evening while I was at my son's Christmas performance. What a load of shambles!!!! This then required a follow up blood test which again could not be pre-booked and had to have a call back to the surgery. What a waste of time and resources for both the practice and a patient. I also had to call yesterday for myself which lasted 30 minutes before being told you will get a call. You don't get told what time to expect a call back, instead of resting or getting on with other things, you just have to sit and wait, without even daring to go to the toilet. It was 4 hours later that I received a call back from a nurse practitioner.

I waited an hour in the phone queue in the morning for a call back only to be cut off when I reached the front. After another 40 min wait I was back at the front, spoke to someone who put me on hold again as thought they had cut me off. When the other receptionist put me back off of hold I explained my problem and was told they no longer did repeat prescriptions - this is for a condition I have suffered with for over 15 years. I had to come in and give a urine test - I did this, and because nothing could be found on a dip stick test they would not give me medication even though it clearly states in my records I have had many tests with no results occurring but still have all symptoms, this medication really helps me cope with the symptoms. Their excuse is there’s a shortage - I know there’s a shortage - that’s why I didn’t take the piss with ordering my repeat prescription all the time, only when needed. Now I have run out of medication and in pain you won’t prescribe me anything - useless!